Our Approach

Getting started with the Data Cookbook is easy. Keeping it moving and getting adoption across the campus takes some planning. We have found that a successful implementation of the Data Cookbook requires focusing on the following:

If you open the Data Cookbook to everyone with no content, they will balk. Without some initial content, it is hard to get the snowball started.

Plan to have some core content in the Data Cookbook before providing access to a large audience. This could involve uploading existing specifications and definitions, or documenting a handful of core specifications that cover common areas, or importing shared definitions from the Data Cookbook Community.

The Data Cookbook should be an integral part of your reporting environment. When people view reports, they need to easily connect to and see the definitions and other content in the Data Cookbook. If people browse the Data Cookbook, they need to be able to easily get to the live reports documented there.

This integration is possible a number of ways, including with the Data Cookbook APIs. These are flexible components you can use in a variety of ways to connect your reporting tools directly to the specifications in the Data Cookbook. You can even embed the Data Cookbook information in some reporting tools.

The first people involved in the Data Cookbook ought to be your primary content creators, your subject matter experts, your data stewards. They need to understand the importance of data governance. Others who will be expected later to be entering content into the Data Cookbook need to understand their roles, and they need to be supported with training, documentation, and perhaps other resources, in performing those roles.

You need to focus on your reporting process in order to find the right way for the Data Cookbook workflow of requesting specifications and approving definitions to be part of that process.

News Archives

News Archives

From Our Clients:

"We now have a higher level of clarity for making decisions for Davenport, and we can feel comfortable in those decisions."

Brian Miller, CIO, Davenport University

"The process of populating Data Cookbook with agreed-upon definitions has created visibility into the value and on-going need for a strong Data Governance of campus."

J. Brice Bible, CIO at SUNY Buffalo

"Once you have the data definitions defined, it’s much easier to wrap your head around everything."

Tony Herrera, Rock Valley College

The Data Cookbook continues to facilitate communication between core groups across campus and boosts the quality of our reports. The support team is friendly and understands higher education.

Christina White, Portland State University

"The Data Cookbook will decrease the amount of time to create a report and will streamline the reporting process."